


I Just Want To Be Pretty

by Quirkyasfok



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Crossdressing, Good Brother Ben Hargreeves, Good Brother Diego Hargreeves, Insecurity, Sibling Bonding, Supportive Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 20:56:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19303687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quirkyasfok/pseuds/Quirkyasfok
Summary: Klaus had always had a taste for a fashion that many thought he shouldn’t have. Some saw it as a way of seeking attention. Others, a way to rebel against his father. Some considered it a cry for help.The truth is that he just wanted to be pretty. Weirdly enough it’s one of the only things his siblings seem to understand about him.





	I Just Want To Be Pretty

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize in advance for any and all spelling/grammar mistakes.

Klaus can’t exactly remember where or how his taste in fashion started to form. He remembers always hating his dumb Umbrella Academy uniform and sad, ugly pajamas. They were just so sad and boring.

He thinks it might have been Mom that first piqued his interest. He always loved seeing her go about her day in her stunning outfits. How well put together she always looked. He loved watching the way her skirts swayed around her as she walked. He loved gripping the loose fabric in his hands whenever he needed her attention. The way her makeup made her eyes pop. The red of her lips. The clack of her heels.

 She was a spot of color in their dark, dreary world.

And then suddenly Allison had been allowed to wear things outside of their uniform. At first, he thought he was just jealous, because she was able to wear something different while he couldn’t.

 But slowly it began to dawn on him.

The colors. The glitters. The sequence. The feathers. The skirts. The shoes. The blouses.

He wanted to wear it.

The tightness. The formfitting. The looseness. The flowing.

Every time he saw a girl wearing those type of things they always looked so happy. So free. So…

So pretty…

He really wanted to be pretty.

 

 

**Allison**

He considers knocking, but considering he’s never knocked on someone’s door a day in his life he’s pretty sure that will give him away on the spot.

Maybe he could come back later. Sneak in, grab what he wants, and leave.

No.

No, he can do this.

He shakes his head, takes a deep breath, and throws Allison’s door open before he can give it another thought. He waltzes in trying to put as much dramatic sway into his hips as he can, and gives his sister his brightest smile.

“Allison, my favorite sister! Miss Beauty Queen! How you doin?”

Allison stares back at him unimpressed.

“Klaus… what do you want?”

She doesn’t sound to happy, but she hasn’t rumored him away so maybe he caught her in a good mood.

Maybe.

“Who said I wanted anything? Can’t a guy just want to say hi to his-”

“Klaus.”

“Alright, alright.”

He sighs again. He’s not sure why this is so hard. Why he’s so nervous. He just… he just

“Klaus either say what you want or-”

“Will you paint my nails!?”

He slaps his hands to his face, because wow he did not mean to blurt that so loudly.  He glances at the doorway slightly scared Dad or Luther may have heard, but after a few moments of silence with just his sister eyeing him critically he figures he’s in the clear.

“You want me… to paint your nails?”

He nods.

She’s still eyeing him. It’s the same look all his siblings give him. The questioning “what are you up to you creepy weirdo” look. It’s not the “what is wrong with you” look thankfully.

“This isn’t a prank is it?”

He shakes his head no. She keeps eyeing him.

“Did somebody dare you?”

He shakes his head no again. Still with the eyes.

“… Alright.”

“Alright?”

“Alright, did you have a color in mind?”

He feels every muscle in his body relax.

“Yea , yea. The sparkly light blue one… you know with uh… with the glitter. You wore it a few weeks ago. I uh… I thought it was really pretty.”

He thinks he may have gone to far with the way Allison is eyeing him again, but soon he see’s her features relax into a soft, gentle smile. It’s one of those smiles she usually only saves for Luther, and he’s a bit confused as to how he’s just earned one.

“Okay.”

He watches her as she gets up from her bed and gathers supplies. Sits where she wants him to sit, and happily holds out his hands to her. He see’s her frown for a second as she eyes his hands, which he understands. His nails are nothing like hers. Hers are perfect. Painted a light purple and not a single chip. His are chipped, cracked, and cut from scratching away at stone walls. The right pinky an ugly combination of purples and yellows.

She doesn’t ask. Just gives him a reassuring smile and gets to work. He watches as she files down the ones that aren’t to bad off. A few, like the pinky, she tells him are probably best to leave alone for now. For those she wraps with smiley faced band aids that she keeps in her room for emergencies. The good ones though he watches as she paints a clear coat first. Listens as she explains everything she knows about the art of painting nails. When the first drop of blue hits his nails it almost feels to good to be true.

For the most part he stays quiet, as he tries his best to learn and absorb as much of the information as he can. Occasionally, he speaks. Cracks a joke. Every time Allison responds, smiles, and laughs. She never once tells him to shut up.

It’s nice.

Maybe next time he can ask her to try out some of her make up on him. Maybe, if he’s feeling brave enough, he’ll ask if he can try on her pink dress.

He always did like that dress.

 

 

**Luther**

It’s pretty easy to figure out what Luther’s opinion is on things.

It’s whatever Dad’s opinion is about things.

If Dad doesn’t like something than Luther doesn’t like it. If Dad thinks you’re a failure than Luther thinks you’re a failure. If dad gives you the disappointed eyes than Luther gives you the disappointed eyes.

If anything, it at least makes it easy predicting what Luther is going to do and say about things.

Which is why when Klaus see’s good old Number One chilling by the stares waiting for him he decides that he just doesn’t have it in him to deal with Luther today. He was literally just chewed out by their father, and he has no patience for hearing the same words repeated to him by Daddy’s little side kick.

“Well howdy their Number One. Lovely day, right? Listen I’d love to chat, but I must be going. You know how it is. Places to be, people to-”

“Thank you.”

“-see … wait?”

He freezes and stares at his brother.

“Did you just thank me?”

Luther sighs like what he’s doing physically pains him and nods.

“Yea uh… the mission today. If you hadn’t given me that heads up, I’d probably been shot so uh… thank you.”

He stares. Up until this very moment he didn’t even think Luther knew how to thank anyone but Allison… or even say something nice to him for that matter.

“You’re uh… you’re welcome.”

Luther nods at him. From the look on his face it’s obvious that he wants to say more, so Klaus stays silent and waits. He knows that talking isn’t exactly Luther’s strong point, and he’s kind of curious to see where this conversations goes.

“I also uh… I wanted to say,” Luther pauses. He looks all around the two them obviously checking to make sure nobody else was around. He then gestures to the innocent yellow bow Klaus has clutched in his right hand. The same bow their father had just yelled at him about for having in his hair, and demanded he take off.

“I liked your uh… I liked your bow. I thought you looked good in it.”

And then Luther’s gone. Propelling himself up the staircase and taking off down the hall.

Klaus glances down at the bow in his hand and thinks there might just be hope for his brother yet.

 

 

 

**Ben**

“You know I have to say … you’ve done a lot of stupid things in your life, but this by far is probably the stupidest.”

He glares at his brother, because yes Ben, he had realized that thank you very much. Ben holds his hands up.

“Alright, alright it’s just… you scared me Klaus.”

Klaus nods, because he gets it. He’d scared himself a bit too. One moment he’d been carefree dancing around in their Mother’s heels, and the next he was surrounded by darkness and pain.

He wishes he could give his brother a reassuring grin, but his face is numb and he’s been told his jaw wired shut.

Which means no talking for several weeks.

Yay.            

In stead he reaches out with his hand, fumbles a bit, before finally griping onto Ben’s hand and squeezes. He feels a part of him relax when Ben squeezes back.

“I got you something by the way.”

He glances back to his brother. Watches as Ben rummages around in his jacket pockets for a few seconds before finally pulling out… a ribbon.

It’s bright red. The same color as Mom’s lipstick. The same as her heels.

“I thought it would be a safer alternative.”

He watches as Ben slowly moves away and down to where his feet rest under the thin blanket Mom had given him.  He watches as Ben uncovers his right foot. Watches as he slips the ribbon around his ankle and oh… oh

He gets it now.

His vision blurs a bit as Ben finishes tying his last knot. He thinks nothing of it until he sees Ben move and reach towards his face.

“It’s okay, Klaus.”

He’s crying.

Ben just gives him a reassuring smile. Wipes at the tears with one hand, and takes Klaus’s right hand again with his other.

The ribbon presses softly against his ankle.

He always knew Ben was his favorite brother.  

 

 

 

**Diego**

“You realize it’s freezing out, don’t you?”

It takes him a few seconds to realize that somebody living is talking to him. It takes another few seconds for him to realize it’s Deigo of all people.

“Diego!”

He waves and gives his brother jazz hands. He kind of wants to hug him, but Diego is one of the few siblings that still acknowledges his existence in public, so he’d prefer not to push the other too far.

So… jazz hands.

Diego just sighs and shakes his head.

“You realize it’s Winter Klaus. Winter. Why the hell are you wearing booty shorts in Winter?”

“Fashion takes break for no season Diego.”

He tsks and wags his finger at his brother. Diego just sighs again, grabs his arm, and begins to hall him off in the direction of what Klaus has come to learn is where Diego lives.

“Whatever you say Beauty Queen. Now come along before you freeze to death.”

He thinks about replying with something witty. Maybe even slipping free and running off to find more drugs before he loses his high anymore.

Diego has a look to him though. Like he’s determined about something. Plus, he’s warm. Very, very warm. The hand gripping his arm almost feels like it’s burning his skin.

Now that he thinks about it, it is pretty cold out.

He decides to follow.

\---

He wakes up later that night (morning?) curled up with a heavy blanket on Diego’s lumpy couch. He allows himself a few moments to relax and feel safe before he rises.

It’s the same routine he always follows when Diego stumbles upon him. They exchange some banter, Diego offers him a place to stay, Klaus debates, Diego drags him anyway, they discuss Klaus’s life choices, he passes out on the couch, and then he wakes up before Diego, steals some food, and leaves before his brother wakes up. Wash, rinse, repeat.

This times there’s a slight difference in their strange routine. This time as Klaus stumbles his way to the front door he finds a nightlight plugged in with a small pile of things sitting under it. On top of the pile is a note with his name on it.

Well, it actually says ‘ _These are for you, Dumbass.”_ but the point still stands.

On top of the pile sits a pair of jeans. They’re not quite his style, but they are his size. There’re some snacks too. A water bottle. Twenty bucks, and…

He picks the last item up carefully. He runs his hands along the material. It’s a combination of different fabrics sewn together. Around the edges black fur has been sewn on.

It’s a coat he realizes.

Diego got him a coat.

He changes into the jeans, empties the few items he has out of his old worn black jacket, places them and his new collection of things into the coat’s pockets, and finally slips on the long, fancy coat.

It’s soft. Soft and warm.

He folds his old clothes onto the floor, applies a bit of the lipstick he always carries on him, gives the note a big old smooch, and sets that on top.

Then he leaves.

The cold air bites a bit at his skin, but for the first time in a long time he finds he doesn’t mind. He just hugs the coat tighter to his body.

He hasn’t felt this warm in years.

 

 

 

**Vanya**

He’s not really sure how to feel about Vanya’s new book.

It wasn’t like any of what she said had been untrue, but there was just something unsettling about the world being given such an open look about their lives. He’d never really considered himself a private person either (though there were plenty of things he just didn’t like to share with others), but… it felt almost like she had violated him in some manner.

She was good at describing him though. Somehow managing to present her words just right, so that he came off as a failure and screw-up they all knew he was without outright calling him these things.

How kind.

She did at least say a lot of nice things about Ben. Ben deserved nice things said about him.

“Hey, did you read this part?”

He glances back at Ben before looking towards the paragraph his brother is pointing at and shakes his head no. He reads it now curious as to why Ben finds this one so important.

He can’t help the smile that breaks out on his face.

It’s about the first time he ever got to wear a dress. Their father had been gone on a two-day business trip, and all of them had taken advantage of his absences to do things they’d always wanted to do.

For Klaus that meant finally getting to wear Allison’s dress.

He remembers late into the night they’d gathered together and put on some music. He remembers getting up swaying around in the dress. He remembers spinning. The fabrics feeling cool and nice against his legs. He remembers his siblings smiling and having a good time with him.

It was one of the few nice nights he can remember having with his siblings.

He remembers it being one of the first nights he actually felt pretty.

Allison had done his nails. His make-up.

A night of bliss amongst the typical hell that they lived in.

He remembers Vanya not talking much that night. She’d mostly sat in the background watching them. He can remember at one point, amongst his spinning making eye contact with her and giving her a soft smile, which she seemed to gladly return.

At the time she’d said nothing about his outfit.

In the book though she describes him as stunning. The first time ever seeing him truly happy. Wishing to see him like that every day. Carefree and happy.

The prettiest thing she has ever seen.

He supposes Vanya’s book isn’t all that bad after all.

 

 

 

**Five**

“What the hell are you wearing!?”

He crosses his legs and gives Luther his most charming look as he flutters his eyelashes.

“Why our old uniform of course Luther Dear. Is something wrong?”

Luther sputters at him. Mouth hanging open. Cheeks tinted red.

“You… I…. YES!”

“Yes?”

“Yes! This is… you can’t… this is not our uniform!”

“Why yes it is Luther Dear. A bit modified I would say, but full on Umbrella Academy material. Five found it for me. Don’t you like it Luther?”

Next to him Five is giving the biggest Cheshire grin Klaus has ever seen. Next to him he can see Vanya struggling to hold in her giggles behind whatever book she’s reading. Off to the side Diego, who too does seem a little uncomfortable about the outfit, seems to be struggling not to smile. On the other side of him Ben, who fortunately for once is invisible to everyone but Klaus doesn’t even bother trying to hide his snickers.

Admittedly, the outfit itself is defiantly not Umbrella Academy material. From what he understands Five found the outfit hung out on display in a window of some Halloween store. It’s a knock off of their old uniform. A sexy knock off of the female version of their uniform for that matter. Knee length socks. Plaid skirt so short that it verily covers his butt. White blouse cut low and tied right under the breast, and tiny little blazer complete with the Umbrella Academy patch.

God, he wishes for once their father was still around. What he wouldn’t give to see the old man’s reaction to this one.

 “Yea Luther, don’t you like it? I remember Klaus always saying he wanted to wear the female version of our uniform, so when I saw this little number you know I had to get it for him.”

“Isn’t he just the sweetest!”

He bats his eyelashes more, and while Luther’s focus is fully on him uncrosses and recrosses his legs putting everything out on display for a short period of time.

Luther all but chokes. Face redder. Hands waving. He chokes out a few words before finally just throwing his hands up and marching straight out of the room.

There's a few moments of silence before Vanya, Diego, and Ben completely lose it. Five just sits back looking very pleased with himself.

“That will teach him not to touch my coffee. Thanks, by the way.”

“You’re welcome! … you realize I’m not taking this off, right?”

“I figured. You look good in it by the way. The panties were a good touch.”

“Danke!”

Off to the side he can hear Diego choke and Vanya wheeze.

He leans against his tiniest brother (who has gone back to his own book and surprisingly doesn’t throw him off) and lets himself relax. Smile.

He feels happy.

Warm.

Free.

Pretty.

**Author's Note:**

> This entire fic was literally inspired by the idea that there just has to be Halloween costumes on their uniforms in the canon universe, and Klaus wearing the sexy version. Because you know there would be one, and you know he would wear it. I refuse to believe otherwise. 
> 
> Also, in case you didn’t catch the coat Deigo gives Klaus is in fact the coat he is wearing in the first episode… because why not.


End file.
